Spray disk for spray valves



Jan. 12, 1943. J, H; GERRER SPRAY DISK -FOR SPRAY VALVES Filed Nov. 13, 1939 INVENTOR .7g/n H. @errer F'lGIO AT ORNEY mental .im y12, 194s A UNITED STATES-PATENT `v-orifice:

- assaut srnAr msx Fon SPRAY vALvE-s Jol-m H. Gex-rer,` Shawnee, Okla., signor to Giles E. Bullock, Rochester, N. Y.

'Application November 1.3. 1939, Serial No. 304,045

z claims. (creas- 59) This invention relates to spray nozzles for pressure sprayers and has for one of its objects to provide a. novel non-clogging spray disk for the nozzle which automatically releases solid particles thru the opening in the spray disk when such articles clog or begin to clog up the passage of the spray therethru.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel spray disk for spray nozzles, the use of which permits the spraying of solutions containing sediment without clogging and eliminates the necessity of using a screen in the nozzle or discharge line.

All .these and other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the detailed description thereof which follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of a spray nozzle embodying my nonclogging spray disk as it appears mounted in a nozzle.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the spray nozzle with the nonclogging spray disk.

Figure 3 is a partial perspective and sectional view of the reinforcing disk forming part of the novel non-clogging spray disk.

Figure 4 is a partial perspective and sectionall view of the novel spray disk proper. e

Figure 5 is a partial perspective and sectional "ew of the whirl disk which may be used in com nection with the spray disk.

Figure 6 is a partial perspective and sectional view of a nozzle screen which may be used in connection with the spray disk.

Figure 7 is a partial perspective and .sectional view of a modified form of the spray disk in which the Yreinforcing disk is combined therewith.

Figure 8 is aside elevation of a spray nozzle with a portion of it broken away and illustrated in section to illustrate a modified form of the spray disk.

Figure 9 is a similar view of a spray nozzle with another modiiied form of the spray disk.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the modified form of spray disk illustrated in section in Fig ure 9.

Figure ll is a longitudinal sectional view of a spray nozzle embodying the novel spray disk without a whirling disk.

It is absolutely essential to the practicability of liquid spray nozzles of pressure sprayers that they are kept from clogging up and this has heretofore been effected, more or less efficiently, by the use of a screen which is incorporated in the nozzle-to keep particles in theliquid from reaching the small opening in the spray disk. While this keeps the nozzle opening in the spray disk from clogging up. it gradually causes the small openings in the fine screen to be filled with particles which makes it necessary to clean the screen from time to time.

The novel spray disk forming the subject matter of the present invention prevents clogging of the opening in the spray disk without the use of a screen and if a screen is used its perforations may be large enough to pass the particles which heretofore clogged up the opening in the spray .disk so that the necessity for cleaning it is practically eliminated.

As illustrated in the figures of the drawing this is accomplished by providing the opening .I in a spray disk which is either entirely or partially 'flexible with the exible portion of the disk surrounding the opening so that as pressure builds up behind it, the portion of the spray disk surrounding the opening will be exed outwardly to cause the opening I to be gradually distended to a point where the particle restricting the ow is readily forced ,thru it.

For this purpose the spray opening I is provided centrally in a thin rubber disk 2 which is backed up by a reinforcing plate 3 with a large central. opening d therethru. lThe combined reinforcing plate and rubber disk are clamped in place over the end of the nozzle body 5 spaced from the whirl disk 6 by means of the threaded flange 1. The whirl disk is surrounded by a cylindrical ange 8 which is telescopingly mounted in the nozzle body and rests on the shoulder 9 thereof to properly locate the disk with a whirl chamber I0 formed between it and the spray disk I.

The whirl disk is provided with the openings I I, II which have the inclined grooves I2, I2 leading from it into the whirling chamber concentric to the center of the disk and this causes the spray to be forced into the chamber in a whirl and forced whirling out of the opening I in the spray disk.

As above pointed out, the screen for screening the liquid before entering the whirl chamber may be dispensed with or if one is used it may be provided with larger openings to prevent a clogging up thereof. Such a screen is indicated by reference numeral I3 and is anged .to telescopinglyv engage into the ange 8 in back of thewhirl disk s.

the circular joint between the iiange 8 and the valve body and thus also serves as a packing which prevents a bi-pass of liquid around the Whirl disk into the Whirl chamber.

The reinforcing plate 4 in front of the spray disk 2 holds the spray disk rigid except in the cut out center thereof provided by the hole 4. When, therefore, a solid particle seats itself in the spray disk hole I on the inside thereof and thus begins to clog up the outlet for the spray, the pressure in the whirling chamber increases and causes the center portion of the spray disk, which is not reinforced, to bulge out thru the opening 4 in the reinforcing plate. This in turn causes the opening I in the spray disk to be distended until the obstructing particle passes therethru. Every time the hole in the spray disk is being obstructed the obstruction is thus automatically removed in the manner above described.

The spray disc may be modified in its construction and still function to prevent its clogging up as described above. For example, in the modied form of the disk I4 illustrated in Figure 7, the thin rubber disk and its reinforcing plate is combined in a heavy rubber disk with its spray opening I5 in the center' portion I6 of reduced thickness Thus the main body of the disk is made rigid enough to withstand the pressure of the spray with but very little or any flexure, While the thin center portion will readily bulge out under pressure so as to cause its spray opening to distend and release the particle that formed the obstruction to the free passage of the spray. l

In the modiiication of the spray disk illustrated in Figure 8 the rubber spray disk I'I is cut out so as to form the whirl chamber I 8 therein. This eliminates the necessity of forming the whirling chamber by means of a cylindrical spacing flange around the whirling disk as illustrated in Figure 8. A large portion of the thin central portion of the sprayer disk I'I is reinforced by a rigid disk I9 of metal or other suitable material to provide for a flexing of but a smallarea surrounding the spray opening 20 in the spray disk.

In the modification of the spray disk illustrated in Figures 9 and 1o, the disk 2i is made of metal or 41s other sheet material which is strong enough to withstand the pressure of the spray but is weakened around the spray opening 22 by a plurality of slits radiating from the opening. In this way the pressure of the spray may displace small sectors of the disk-surrounding the opening 22 and in so doing temporarily enlarge the opening for the release of any particle lodged therein.

As illustrated in Figures 1, 4, 7 and 8 it is desirable to cut the spray hole so as to have its edge beveled. 'Ihis reduces the thickness of the disk surrounding the hole to a minimum so that it is readily distended for the release of any obstruction that may lodge therein.

As illustrated in Figure 11 the spray disk forming the subject matter of my invention may also be used without a whirling disk. The non clogging action of the spray disk remains the same whether a whirling disk is used or not in combination therewith, except that the spray from the nozzle does not issue in'a cloud form from the nozzle but more in a narrow stream.

I claim:

l. A spray nozzle having a spray disk, said disk being formed of a thin flexible material and having a spray hole thru the center thereof, a reinforcing plate having a hole therethru of substantially larger diameter than that of the spray hole, said reinforcing plate being held against said spray disk with the large hole in said reinforcing plate surrounding the spray hole in said spray disk so as to cause the center of said spray disk to iiex without permanent distortion into the hole in said reinforcing disk and have its spray opening distended under pressure against said spray disk.

2. A spray nozzle, a spray disk in said nozzle, said spray disk comprising a exible diaphragm having a hole therethru, and reinforcing means in contact with and cooperating with a portion of said flexible diaphragm spacedly from said hole to cause distention of the hole in the diaphragm bypressure exerted against the diaphragm without flexing the entire diaphragm.

JOHN H. GERRER. 

